Dustbin or garbage bag made mandatory in vehicles entering Uttarakhand

Dehradun: The Uttarakhand government on Thursday issued instructions to strictly enforce the rule of mandatory installation of dustbins and garbage bags in vehicles entering the state "to maintain its natural cleanliness".

Before issuing trip cards to vehicles, it should be ensured that they have a dustbin or garbage bag installed, Chief Secretary Radha Raturi said.

The State Transport Department recently wrote to the Transport Commissioners of Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Chandigarh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, informing them that it is mandatory for vehicles coming to the state during the Chardham Yatra to have dustbins and garbage bags installed to prevent travellers from littering roads.

Vehicles entering the state should be checked and fined if they do not comply with this mandatory rule, the chief secretary said.

Tour operators, travel agencies, drivers and the general public should be informed about this rule, the chief secretary added.

"Uttarakhand is a tourist state. Maintaining the natural cleanliness of the state and protecting its environment is the collective responsibility of its residents as well as lakhs of tourists and devotees who visit the state every year," Raturi said.